A computer's operating system is a layer of software that may be security protected; connects to and runs other programs; manages a user connection to a program; manages display of information; assigns central memory use; manages disk units; performs input/output (I/O) functions; creates and copies files; creates file directory structures; lists available files; formats disks, establishes and enforces protection levels on files and folders; deletes unwanted files and directories, and performs other functions.
A user may interact with a computer operating system using an interface. One interface, known as the command-line interface, is a text based interface that allows a user to type in text commands to instruct the operating system to do any of the above or other tasks. Text based commands are simple commands but require more computer skills to use and hence are favored by more advanced computer users. Many computer users favor simpler interfaces of the kind provided by graphical user interfaces.
One simple graphical user interface popularized on Windows operating systems is the Start button. Many other operating systems have a similar user interface. When a user activates the Start button, a graphical user interface opens up to present a user with a menu of operating system level commands that a user may execute to do the above or other tasks. In order to activate the Start button and to execute system level instructions found on the Start menu, the user must enter one or more character events from a physical or virtual keyboard that are recognized by the operating system as a system level command. In addition, some operating systems like Windows have created hot keys which are specific characters or sequence of characters that when generated by the physical or virtual keyboard represents a system level command.
If the character event entered into a computer is not a system level command, the operating system will treat the character event as data and pass the data from the physical or virtual keyboard to a memory location associated with a task that the pointer of the operating system is executing. For example, if the task that the pointer is executing is an application, the data will pass to a memory location associated with the instruction that the operating system is executing. However, if the character event is a system level command, the operating system will treat the character event as a command to the operating system; thereby directing the pointer of the operating system to execute an operating system level task associated with the command. For example, if the system level command is a command to open a new application, the operating system will open a new application. If the system level command is to delete a file, the operating system will delete the file.
Graphical user interfaces and hotkeys in particular are valuable productivity tools that allow a user to quickly navigate through and execute specific operating system tasks. In the wrong hands, however, the graphical user interfaces and hotkeys create a vehicle for performing malicious, illegal, or productivity destructive acts on a computer.
Some computers are provided with security features for protecting against the unauthorized use of system level commands. For example, many computers are password protected to prohibit use of a computer except upon entry of the correct password into the computer. While these and other security features on computers are available, computer operators may benefit from devices, systems, and methods for enhancing the protection of the computer against malicious, illegal, or productivity destructive acts through unauthorized use of system level commands.